Our country is decaying morally. Government leaders are ungodly, and many are anti-Christian. The media portrays Christ’s followers as irrational bigots. More and more, God is pushed away by secularism. Using the Lord’s name in vain is pervasive. The promotion of the sins of fornication, adultery, lying, and more is throughout entertainment. If that wasn’t bad enough, too many pastors offer milk-toast sermons and vegetarian theology (i.e., no meat). Christians seem largely afraid to challenge the world and carry out the Great Commission of Christ and make disciples of all nations, lest they risk becoming uncomfortable, ashamed, embarrassed, or worse.

What happened?

Sadly, it appears that much of the Christian church is sitting idly by, hoping things get better. Too many Christians go to church with coffee in hand, sit in comfortable pews, hear a pleasing message, and wonder how they can get God to bless them. But, we must be wary of becoming too comfortable. Our calling as Christians is to promote the Lord Jesus Christ to everyone, everywhere. Our lives should be geared to that end. It doesn’t mean that every second has to be occupied with evangelism, nor does it mean we can’t go to movies, restaurants, or shopping. But it does mean that our lives, though filled with family, friends, and responsibilities, should be ultimately aimed at expanding the kingdom of God and bringing glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Comfort can become an enemy if it lures us, softens us, and begs us to relax just a little more and do a little bit less. We should not have the attitude of letting someone else spread the gospel. After all, all Christians’ responsibility is to carry out the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20.

But, the discomfort of trials and tribulations cause us to break, to humble ourselves, and to lift our prayers to the infinitely holy God. In prayer, we ask him, even beg him, to work in our lives and deliver us. Then, in the closeness of his presence, we are moved to pray for the deliverance of others as we trust in Him to accomplish His will. It is the heartfelt prayer to God and in His presence that we realize real value is not found in a big-screen TV or a new car but a sinner coming to salvation and the gospel being preached. In such prayers, we expose our souls, scrape out the dross, and ask God to cleanse us. It is the place of complete dependence on him, and with such dependence we find the confidence to ask God to use us despite our sins, despite our meager abilities, and despite our fears.

That is when he uses us, when we have abandoned ourselves and yielded to his will and purpose, no matter what it might be.

Perhaps that is why he allows trials in our lives. Real suffering brings real prayer. No suffering brings little prayer. Real suffering brings the real Christian to his knees, where he looks to the Lord and seeks His will – no matter what that might be – because we have been broken. But, living in a world of plenty and comfort makes us soft. When we are soft, we want soft sermons. When we hear soft sermons, we relax and do nothing of eternal importance. Then, we attend more churches that are comfortable, nice, full of smiles, and full of safe messages. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being comforted by God’s word, but if that is what we seek and not Christ and obedience to him in all things, even the difficult ones, then we have become weak and disobedient.

Where are the Christians? They’re here and there. But I fear that too many have not been energized because they don’t want to be seriously used of God and accepts its risks with its rewards, or because the preaching they sit under lacks the power of God’s Spirit. They’ve become accustomed to milk to the point of avoiding the meat.

What is the solution?

Every Christian’s solution is to confess his sins to the Lord and ask Jesus for cleansing and forgiveness. Every Christian should ask to be molded and shaped by God in order to be used by Him. As a master craftsman finds the tool that fits his hand, so too the Christian must be reshaped to fit the hand of our Master. This reshaping can be difficult, but it is always good. Then, when God’s work is done, and the Christian is made ready, God will send you.

What do you want as a Christian, to be comfortable or be used? Do you want your best life now, or do you want to carry your cross as you follow Christ into the world?

“Lord, please refine my faith. Please test it and purify it so that I might glorify your name and obey your commands. Teach me to rely on you, seek you more, and trust you beyond my ability to understand. Let my faith in you increase that I might rest in your will. Let me do your will, Lord Jesus.”